RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

'The driving force seems to be that happier workers use the time they have more effectively, increasing the pace at which they can work without sacrificing quality,' said Dr Daniel Sgroi from the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, one of the leaders of the research.

One of the free microkitchens at Google

An employee at Google relaxes in the company game room, which contains a piano, a Pacman video game, and recreation balls....

'Some firms say they care about the well-being and ‘happiness’ of their employees. But are such claims hype, or scientific good sense? We provide evidence that happiness makes people more productive,' the team wrote.

Dr Eugenio Proto said: 'We have shown that happier subjects are more productive, the same pattern appears in four different experiments.

'This research will provide some guidance for management in all kinds of organizations, they should strive to make their workplaces emotionally healthy for their workforce.'

The researchers say that Google was at the forefront of improving its employee's happiness with its well known perks, which include free food, buses and gyms, along withe sports courts and even a slide to get between floors.

Professor Andrew Oswald said: 'Companies like Google have invested more in employee support and employee satisfaction has risen as a result.

'For Google, it rose by 37%, they know what they are talking about. Under scientifically controlled conditions, making workers happier really pays off.'